Pluck not enough to lift dullness

Southland 15 Hawke's Bay 11

It would easy to write this off as another mundane match in which the plucky promoted side pushed more vaunted opponents before bowing to the inevitable.

It would be easy because it's mostly true. For large periods this match was hard on the eyes but Hawke's Bay refused to give in, setting up an enthralling final five minutes where, with the benefit of better decision making in the ruck, they should have beaten Southland.

In the end, replacement halfback Chad Sheperd went blind and the Bay traipsed home with a solitary point when they will feel they provided most of the game's high points (provisionally, seven).

Southland failed to cross the line at home against a promoted team. They gathered four points courtesy of first-five Blair Stewart's boot and will get two home games during the repechage round.

The first half was a largely dull affair, even if it started promisingly. Aided by the wind, Hawke's Bay poured on the pressure.

But once the home side nutted out the Bay's modus operandi - and Aayden Clarke had missed two relatively simple penalties - the rest of the first half was one-way traffic. Southland could only blame themselves for not being more than three penalties ahead at halftime.

Perhaps the nadir came when Hawke's Bay muffed a clearing kick which was charged down by Southland halfback Phil Dawson. Southland just needed to shift it through the hands for a certain try but hooker David Hall shelled it.

Southland weren't alone in their profligacy.

The Bay scored one nifty try from a lineout move that saw hooker Danny Logan put Danny Lee on a 30m touchline dash. They also kicked a couple of penalties to briefly take the lead at 11-9.

The most glaring example of a lost opportunity was a terrific move ended by fullback Israel Dagg. Faced with a three-on-one he ignored his outsides and cut in, allowing the cover defence to put a blanket on the move.

Southland 15(B. Stewart 5 pens)
Hawke's Bay 11 (D. Lee try; M Berquist 2 pens).
HT: 9-0.